In The Plains, July heat, January chill and rainfall all sit near the middle of U.S. towns
Expect July afternoons of about 84°. Seasons differ by 62°, from the coldest nights to the warmest afternoons. Central heating does most of its work from November to March, in months below 50° on average.
A year in The Plains at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about The Plains’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with The Plains’ place in Ohio beside it.
What a year in The Plains feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 179 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first by October 23. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Athens Ou, OH, 3 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts The Plains’ center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −3°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 12 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Nelsonville, OH, is heaviest from January through February, about 4 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 43 inches a year; July is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 105 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in The Plains
88% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Athens Ou, OH.
Living with The Plains’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
179 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by Apr 25 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 23.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, August, September and October. 0.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in The Plains from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (73%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 11%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →The Plains and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around The Plains yet.
Climates most like The Plains’, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Plains, OH | 22° | 84° | 43" | 12" |
| Shelbyville, IN | 21° | 85° | 44" | 15" |
| Waynesboro, VA | 25° | 85° | 43" | 11" |
| Mattoon, IL | 20° | 86° | 41" | 15" |
| South Farmingdale, NY | 24° | 85° | 44" | 19" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in The Plains averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.7°).
A smaller shift than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How The Plains compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with The Plains’ place among Ohio’s.
The Plains weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at The Plains’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Nelsonville, OH. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39° | 22° | 3.1" | 4.3" | 12 | 7 | 22° – 41° |
| February | 43° | 24° | 3.0" | 3.9" | 9 | 5 | 21° – 44° |
| March | 53° | 32° | 3.9" | 2.0" | 9 | 2 | 36° – 54° |
| April | 66° | 40° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 47° – 60° |
| May | 74° | 49° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| June | 81° | 58° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 66° – 72° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| August | 84° | 61° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| September | 78° | 54° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| October | 67° | 42° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| November | 54° | 33° | 2.9" | 0.1" | 8 | 0 | 36° – 49° |
| December | 43° | 27° | 3.2" | 1.2" | 10 | 2 | 24° – 46° |
| Year | 64° | 42° | 42.9" | 11.5" | 105 | 16 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 21° to 44°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where The Plains’ numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at The Plains’ center.
- Snow: Nelsonville, OH.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Athens Ou, OH, 3 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about The Plains’ climate
What is the weather like in The Plains?
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 52% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 57% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in The Plains in winter?
January nights average 22°. About 124 nights a year reach 32° or below and 2 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 22°.
How much snow does The Plains get?
About 12 inches in a normal winter at Nelsonville, OH, heaviest from January through February, about 4 inches a month, with snow on the ground about 16 days a year.
How hot does it get in The Plains?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 11 days a year reach 90° (Athens Ou, OH).
When is the first and last frost in The Plains?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 25 and the first fall frost by October 23, about 179 frost-free days, at Athens Ou, OH.
What growing zone is The Plains in?
Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −3°.
What is the best time of year to visit The Plains?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is The Plains getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 67% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in The Plains.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.